As a part of getting outside
the Beltway, we attended the AUSA Installations Symposium and Exhibition in Kansas City, MO,
last week. Had the opportunity to meet with a number of our great
Garrison Commanders and IMA Region Directors and listen to all the tremendous
things our outstanding Installation professionals are doing for Soldiers and
their families throughout the Army. This was a productive forum to share
ideas and employ Lean Six Sigma processes to enhance installation
operations. Then off to FortLeavenworth to teach the
spouses attending the Command Team Seminar and the Soldiers as a part of the
Pre-command Course. They are always an inquisitive, energetic crew.

After a brief return to
CFSC, we headed to Hawaii
for meetings with the USARPAC command and staff to discuss MWR, school and
installation operations. Saw firsthand the MWR facilities at Schofield
Barracks, FortShafter, Wheeler Army Airfield, and
Kilauea Military Camp. Great places to live, to visit, and to enjoy the
MWR facilities! Contrary to urban legend the school system in HI is
getting better and better. Chain of command and parent involvement is
making a big difference.

Finally, while in Hawaii, I
also had a chance to meet with all of the General Managers of our Armed
Forces Recreation Centers: Jim Thomas, Dragon Hill Lodge, Korea; Rick LeBrun, Edelweiss Lodge and Resort, Germany; John Jefferis, Hale Koa Hotel, Hawaii; and Jim McCrindle, Shades of Green on Walt Disney World
Resort. We are extremely fortunate to have such profound professionals
overseeing these flagship facilities. Perhaps in the near future you will
be able to include a visit to one of these Armed Forces Recreation Centers as
part of your vacation plans. Any of our General Managers would enjoy
taking you on a tour of the facility.

"MWR For
All Of Your Life"

Brigadier General John A.
Macdonald

Business Programs

Army
Lodging Managers Workshop.The 9th Annual Army
Lodging Managers Workshop was held in Norfolk,
VA, 28-30 Mar 06. A total
of 120 Lodging management and supervisory staff enjoyed training/information
sessions including guest service in hospitality; responsible and effective
business planning in an operating environment; the Standard product Program;
and Acquisition Planning. The Army Lodging Award banquet was hosted in
conjunction with the workshop. 2006 Lodging Operations of the Year
winners are Livorno, Italy - Small Category; Grafenwoehr,
Germany - Medium Category; Vicenza, Italy - Large Category; and Fort Sill, OK
- Super Category. The 2006 staff awards are as follows: Mr. Keith Hazelrigs, Fort Gordon, GA - Manager of the Year; Denise Sutton, Fort
Dix, NJ - Supervisor of the Year;
and Debra Lucas, Fort Bragg,
NC - Employee of the Year.

CampCasey Food Pavilion.On
6 Apr 06, MWR Theme Operations added a Java Café and a Reggie's Express to the
existing Primo's Express located in the Gateway Club
at Camp Casey, Korea. This is the first location where three separate MWR
Theme Operation restaurants are under one roof. These units mark the 61st
and 62nd restaurants to open in the growing family of MWR Theme
Operations.

Community Recreation

2006 Army
Soldier Show. A total of 18
performers and five technicians are currently rehearsing for the 2006 Soldier Show.
The cast includes three Officers, 20 NCOs and Soldiers, and, for the first time
ever, one Korean Augmentee to the US Army (KATUSA),
PFC Yoon, Jong-Baek. Opening weekend for the
2006 Tour is 5-7 May at the WallaceTheatre, Fort
Belvoir, VA.
The schedule for the upcoming tour will be published in the next Bi-Weekly
Update.

Child and Youth
Services

Hoops
for Troops.CFSC's Army Child and Youth Services Sports and Fitness
Program Manager, Ms. Donna McGrath, escorted fourteen children from Fort Belvoir to the Pentagon on 6 Apr 06 to participate in the
launch of "Hoops for Troops" a collaborative effort between
"America Supports You" and USA Basketball, the governing body
for U.S. men's and women's basketball. Through this program, military members and
their families will be able to attend selected USA men's and women's basketball
senior national team practices and exhibition games. The hoops
organization committed to a three-year effort to actively support the nation's
troops, including basketball clinics by star coaches and players for service
members and their children. Coaches and team executives also met with Defense
Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and other senior Pentagon
officials to celebrate the collaboration. Following the program, USA
Basketball and DukeUniversity head coach
Mike Krzyzewski presented a USA Basketball jersey to
Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani
Jr.

Family Programs

The
Very Important Patriot Award.The National Military
Family Association is accepting nominations for the Very Important Patriot
(VIP) Award. This award recognizes exceptional volunteers worldwide whose
outstanding service contributes to improving the quality of life in their
military and/or neighboring communities.Active
duty, National Guard and Reserve, retired service members, their family
members, and survivors are eligible nominees. Five VIP award recipients
and their companions will be flown to Washington,
DC to be honored.
Nominations are only accepted online at www.nmfa.org
through 15 May 06. Questions about this award program can be asked via
email to families@nmfa.org
or phone 1-800-260-0218.

ArmyFamilyTeamBuilding Master Trainer (AFTB) and
Program Manager Courses I and II.CFSC Family Programs
AFTB staff conducted Master Trainer and Program Manager Courses in St Louis, MO,
2-7 Apr and 9-14 Apr 06. More than 140 students (volunteer, staff and
Soldiers) from the Active, Guard and Reserve attended each training session.
Individuals trained as Master Trainers will receive instruction that
prepares them to return to their installations and military communities, and
volunteer as trainers and instructors for AFTB and a variety of other community
programs. These individuals, upon certification as a Master Trainers, incur a
one-year commitment to the Army as a volunteer. Program Managers (paid
staff and volunteer) receive a wide range of training in managing programs and
logistics, recruiting and retaining volunteers, and program assessment and
evaluation.

Army Family Action Plan (AFAP) General Officer Steering
Committee (GOSC) Meeting.The semi-annual AFAP GOSC has been rescheduled to Monday,
12 Jun 06, from 9am - noon, at the AlexandriaHiltonMarkCenter, 5000 Seminary Road, Alexandria, VA.
The Vice Chief of Staff, Army (VCSA) will chair the meeting with 25 issues
slated for discussion. Agenda issues include Reserve Component
medical/dental; civilian employment, casualty assistance, medical and youth
issues. Attendees at the GOSC
meeting include Department of Defense and Army Staff principals, select
Commanders and Command Sergeants Major, or their representatives, and action
officers from proponent agencies. Observers include representatives from
military support organizations and local senior leader spouses. RSVPs are
due to CFSC by 25 May 06.

Hospitality Management

Hale
Koa Hotel.April is the Month of the Military Child. To
celebrate, the Hale Koa Hotel is providing children with special Magic in
Paradise Shows. The children are treated to special games and can enter
to win great prizes, including a trip for the winner and his/her parents to
Kilauea Military Camp on the Island
of Hawaii. The trip
includes airfare from Honolulu.
Other prizes include Coke Boogie Boards and Cooler Packs, Jamba
Juice Coupons, HawaiianWatersAdventureParkPasses,
Circ Hawaii Tickets and Build a Bear Stuffed Characters. Special companies
assisting in making this month special for these very important kids: Kilauea
Military Camp, Pentagon Federal Credit Union, Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park,
Circ Hawaii, Coca Cola, Jamba Juice and Build A
Bear Workshop.

Shades
of Green.The Shades of Green is preparing for its annual
Easter Egg Hunt, Sunday, 16 Apr 06, from 8:30am to 9:30am. More than
eight hundred children, ages 2-10, are expected to participate in the hunt for
the "golden egg". Approximately 2,000 candy-filled plastic eggs
will be hidden by volunteers early Easter morning. The Easter Bunny will make
an appearance and the children will have photo opportunities with him after the
egg hunt. An Easter tradition at Shades of Green is the Jellybean
Counting Contest where guests guess the number of jellybeans in the jar.
The winner will be announced after the Easter Egg Hunt.

Information Management

RecTrac Training Schedule.The
following table includes the locations and dates of RecTrac
training for Apr-May 06:

FY04 Camp Humphreys Multi-purpose Field II. Construction contract has been
awarded. Construction is 30 percent complete. Final Design solution
for the necessary site work to accommodate Main Gate layout vs. Multi-purpose
Field is under review. A construction modification based on the cost
associated with the field layout adjustment will follow approval of the revised
layout.

FY05
FortKnox Wellness Lodging. Contractor has almost completed removal of
remaining subsurface concrete obstructions and an old landfill. Installation
has funded removal of most of the above but has indicated it may look for
reimbursement of such funds. 100% design documents have been received for
review. Construction is approximately 5% complete.

FY03
FortHamilton Lodge. Contractor unable to get building mechanical
systems commissioned. Many problems have surfaced from the preliminary
testing and balancing. Pre-final inspection tentatively scheduled for
week of 10 Apr was cancelled. Contractor unable to provide any schedule
for when the contract work will be done. Project completion remains at
99%.

FY01
FortEustis Army Lodging Facility.CFSC
took conditional acceptance of the building on 15 Mar 06. CFSC currently completing disputed or incomplete punch list items.Drapery installation and building preparation for FF&E
installation currently underway.FF&E
delivery and installation on going with mid-May completion.

FY06
Fort Bliss, TX. Interior and foodservice design concepts for a combination Habanero/Primo's Express at the Bowling Center were
presented to South West Region and installation personnel 22 Mar 06.
Minor revisions are being incorporated into the plans. Southwest region
contracting office is executing the project.

FY05
Parris Island, YouthActivityCenter.65% design documents have been reviewed. Contractor is preparing
final construction documents and obtaining Land Disturbance permits from the
state of South Carolina Environmental Office. Expect final construction
documents review and Notice to Proceed for Construction in May 06.

FY04
Quantico Auto
Hobby Shop.Construction 75% complete.
Expect construction Pre-Final Inspection to be held in May 06. Expect
Beneficial Occupancy to be achieved in Jun 06.

Coast
Guard Exchange Projects.Fully executed
Memorandum of Agreement in place with the Coast Guard Exchange and MWR Headquarters
for CFSC construction support for Coast Guard Exchange projects, pending
funding.

The following
references are part of a series collectively titled. "What
Commanders and Spouses Ask."
These guides were written to give readers an understanding of the
Army Community and FamilySupportCenter
mission and some detailed responses to topics that are frequently raised by
Soldiers and families.

Our
plan is to provide you a different resource paper covering a specific MWR
Program subject area in each Senior Spouse Updates. Hopefully, this will
be "news you can use." This update provides information
on Child Care Affordability: Parent Fees.

Child Care fees for working
families are based on Total Family Income (inclusive of Basic Allowance for
Subsistence and Basic Allowance for Quarters of the senior member regardless of
where they reside, e.g., on or off post) and are calculated on a sliding scale.
Higher income families pay proportionately more, though by no means the
true cost of care they receive. Full-Day and Part-Day fees are based on
Total Family Income - not rank or civilian grade. The Military Child Care
Act requires at least a 50/50 match of appropriated funds to the fees generated
in a ChildDevelopmentCenter.
Additionally, commanders may offer reduced fees for documented financial
hardships and offer discounts. Family Child Care fees may be subsidized
to allow Providers to charge comparable rates to ensure fee equity for Soldiers
using home based care. Hourly Care fees are based on a flat rate regardless
of income.

WHEN
PARENTS SAY:"The Fees for Child Care are Too
High!"

BACKGROUND: The
Military Child Care Act requires Department of Defense (DoD) to establish a consistent method for setting
fees for families needing Child Care on a regular basis for work or school
related purposes.

Total family income is
used to establish a DoD
uniform fee structure to be used consistently among installations and across
the Services. This fee structure, issued annually for the upcoming year,
encompasses six income categories. Department of the Army sets hourly
care rates and publishes them in conjunction with the annual DoD Fee Policy guidance.

POLICY:

· Child Care is a service, not an entitlement like medical services or
Commissary privileges.

· Garrison
Commanders select installation child care fees for patrons using full-day and
part-day care in ChildDevelopmentCenters
and School-age Programs using the established fee ranges linked to the six
income categories.

· Procedures
and documents used to determine and validate total family income are outlined
in the DoD/Army Annual Fee Policy.

· Each
installation CYS program must complete an annual DoD
Fee Report.

· Installation
Internal Review personnel must conduct an annual Fee Review to ensure processes
for proper determination and documentation of total family income are in place.

WHAT COMMANDERS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE CYS FEES:

1. Fees are based on total family income not rank or civilian
grade.

2. All
patrons using DoD/Army Child Care pay reduced
fees. Those using care for work purposes resulting in higher total family
incomes pay proportionately more, but by no means, the true cost of the Child
Care they receive.

4. Fees should be set to ensure parents pay a fair share of Child
Care costs - total revenue from parent fees ChildDevelopmentCenter and School-age
Programs should generally cover three out of four caregiving
ratio staff.

5. Factors
such as: number of families receiving multiple child discounts, fees
charged off-post, local labor costs, and hours of operation required to meet
the mission needs of parents should be considered before local fees are
established.

6. A CYS
Revenue Projection Tool is available for staff to use to determine the impact
of these factors and help Commanders make informed decisions.

Finger Tip Facts
About Child Care Fees

1.
Fees in DoD Child Care
programs are usually 25% lower than fees charged by comparable community based
child care programs.

2.
Army Child Care fees are generally lower than other DoD Child Care program fees.

3.
The most frequently charged Army fee for full day care
is $322 per month. This fee includes at least 10 hours of care, two
meals, and two snacks each day. This equates to $1.60 per hour.

4.
The average babysitter charges $5.00/hour; the Army standard hourly care fee is
$3.50.

As a Commander you may ask:

« Is Total
Family Income (TFI) a "fair" way to determine fees?

· The intent of the Military Child Care Act is for
parents to pay a "fair share" of their work
related Child Care expenses, hence the use of total family income as
a major fee determinant. Fees are based on Total Family Income - Not rank
or civilian grade. All families using Military Child Care, regardless of their
total family income, have their fees reduced. Those with higher incomes
pay a higher share.

· The DoD
has established the Total Family Income definition for military personnel.

« Finally, when some parents say,"The fees are too high!" a great way to
address this judgment directly and systematically is to involve the members of
the installation Parent and Advisory Council. Educate these parents and
use their influence to help educate other parents on the true quality of the
services their children are receiving. It is important to remember this
payment, by the parent and the Army, is really an investment in the future of
our children, our Army, and our Nation.

Should you have any further
questions on this subject, please contact Ms. M.-A. Lucas, Director of Child
and Youth Services, at (703) 681-5385.